Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or places. They belong to Christopher Paolini
A/N: Well, here's the next chapter! Hopefully you'll like it! I made this be a little more then one year since Eragon left home. That seems like it should be about the right length.
Eragon could feel relief drip down his throat when he saw the blue speck hurtle down from the sky. The leafless branches of the trees were covered with frost. They slightly sparkled as Eragon struggled to see. Obtaining an almost near-vertical dive, Saphira raced towards him.
Saphira's wings were tucked and her neck straight. Her tail slightly corrected her course. Eragon could see Kela in the saddle. She was bent low and her dark hair streamed behind her, now considerably tangled.
Eragon now realized how fast they were flying. He would have been unhappy had he been on Saphira's back. He could only imagine Kela's reaction. Saphira wasn't even her dragon.
Suddenly, massive panes of blue unfurled and their descent slowed. When they reached the treetops, Saphira went in for a smooth landing. Eragon sprinted over to the girl and dragon, Arya following him.
By the time Eragon reached Saphira, Kela had already dismounted. No person could loosen the loops that quickly. She had ridden with no restraints.
"Are you all right, Kela?" he asked. "You weren't tied in."
Kela nodded breathlessly. "I held on fairly well," she assured him. Kela turned to Arya. "Eragon has told you, so what do you think we should do?"
Arya paused. "Nädindel is not too far away- no more then two day's hike. We must make for there as soon as possible."
Kela nodded in agreement. Eragon, on the other hand, was not convinced this plan would work. "Why do you want to run?" he asked. "We have the odds. Four against two- and one of them is a dragon and another is an elf. Why not face them?"
"It would be three against two," Kela put in. "I can't fight."
"Still good odds."
Arya shook her head. She continued walking and motioned for the others to follow. Saphira was lucky; the trees were not too dense.
"We must know who they are before we kill them. If Galbatorix is indeed their master, we must warn the elves. We also must know if they are even foes," Arya explained.
"We could talk to them," Eragon pointed out. "If Kela knows they are not lying, then we can take them at their word."
"No Eragon," Arya disagreed. "If they do challenge us, there is the slightest possibility they could overcome us. Also, we cannot be sure that these are the only men out there. With strong emotions, the thoughts tend to reach farther. Also, there could have been more men or urgals, and Kela simply did not sense them." Kela nodded in agreement.
Eragon understood, but was still troubled. "What can protect us in Nädindel that we do not have here? I will not bring trouble to a village."
"Nädindel is not a village," Arya explained. "It is an elven city, a very heavily protected elven city."
"By elves?"
"No, by the Border Woods." Arya gave an apologetic look towards Kela. Kela smiled and shrugged, but the smile did not reach her eyes.
Eragon was confused. They were in the woods, nowhere near the border. "What are the Border Woods?" he asked.
Surprisingly, Kela took the question. She stepped over an exposed root and explained. "The Border Woods are the main protection of Nädindel. The elves can pass normally, for they feel no difference. Ones with no elven blood cannot pass, and if they try will eventually be killed. Dragons can pass as well, or else the riders would have not been able to fly to Nädindel."
Alarm ran through Eragon's body. "I'll die," he explained. Kela shook her head.
"No, Eragon," she disagreed. Her voice was quiet and soft, but she could still be heard. You will hardly feel anything. You are half-elven."
Eragon stopped. There was dead silence. "No," he protested slowly. "I can't be." At the same time as he said these words, he wondered, Could this really be true? Was my father an elf?
"Yes Eragon," Kela continued. She took him by the arm and dragged him along. "You are. There are many signs. You just haven't noticed. Your build is right, your face is right, your eyebrows are shaped correctly; you are partly elven."
"Looks don't mean everything," Eragon insisted. "I don't have pointed ears."
"Actually, you do now, but no part-elven human has pointed ears. They are only had by complete elves, and those who are closely linked to magical beings, such as dragons. There are other clues as well," she continued. "Your abilities point to elven blood. Your senses are amazingly good. I have only seen you match against Arya, but I can tell you are an uncommonly good swordsman. A human would not be able to master the sword in the time you have. It takes years and years of practice before they can even ward someone off." Kela looked at him kindly. "It's not a bad thing."
Eragon was dumbfounded. This couldn't be happening. He was no one, a simple farm boy who happened to come across a dragon egg. He couldn't be half-elven. He was human, through and through. Kela had to be mistaken. She was wrong.
"Eragon, you are half elven. If you do not believe us, let The Border Woods decide." There was something in Kela's voice that made him trust her. He nodded and tried to smile.
Saphira? He asked.
I trust Kela, and I trust your own thoughts. You are not just a 'farm boy'. You are someone of importance, Eragon. You would be even if you were not half-elven, Saphira assured him.
"Let's continue to Nädindel then," he said. Kela and Arya smiled.
Kela suddenly gave him a one armed hug, whispering in his ear "All elves aren't that bad, you'll see."
Eragon smiled and patted Kela on the back, feeling like a protective brother. The thought surprised him, for although he had known her for over two weeks, she had always been riding Saphira and never really talked to him.
Kela stepped back and looked at Arya expectantly. She was not disappointed. Arya had plenty of things to tell them.
"We must move as quickly as possible. Our pace will have to be doubled, at least. The men will surely track us and find our position. Now…"
"Arya?" Kela put in hesitantly. "I have an idea that would make us much faster." Arya nodded. "We could tie our packs onto Saphira's back and all three of us could quicken our pace considerably."
Arya and Eragon thought the idea over. What do you think, Saphira? Eragon asked.
I like it, although I wish you could ride me. I cannot carry the packs and you. I will take a load off you that you do not need. Also, Kela will be with you and can tell whether the men are near. I think you should do it.
"Saphira agrees," he announced. Kela smiled.
"Are you sure you can keep up?" Arya asked, eyeing Kela's sling. Kela nodded.
As Eragon loaded his pack onto Saphira's back, he saw Kela take her dagger, bow, and quiver and strap them onto herself. She also took a coil of rope and hung it from her belt. "It pays to be prepared," she explained.
Taking rope, Arya tied down the packs with efficient knots. When she was satisfied, she nodded to Eragon.
Go ahead, Saphira. Arya's done.
Saphira crouched and leaped into the morning sky. Soon she was no more then a blue speck in the far off clouds.
As they walked through the forest, Eragon noticed that Kela had her eyes shut tightly. She was holding onto Arya's shoulder for guidance. The pace they kept was amazing, even though Kela could not see. She did not once open her eyes, even when she tripped, which was rare. Instead, Arya would help her remain upright.
Eragon was curious about this strange behavior. Scared that he would upset something, Eragon chose not to ask. His question was answered anyway.
"Kela must focus her strongest sense in trying to find emotions. In order to do this, she has to close her eyes. It heightens her sense of feelings, much like when you are blindfolded; your sense of touch is heightened." Eragon nodded in understanding.
As they walked, they automatically stood in single file. Arya led the way, Kela was behind her, holding her shoulder, and Eragon brought up the rear. Eragon watched the material of Kela's dress wind through the undergrowth. The bottom was stained and had been mended many times, the dark blue sometimes puckering at the points.
Her overdress was in slightly better condition around the hem. It allowed five inches of the dark blue to show before covering it with dark gray. Eragon could tell that the sleeveless dress had been used many times. The ties that held together the sides were slightly frayed and the material was stained, as was Kela's underdress. Kela went without a cloak, even though the wind was chilled and their steps crunched with frost.
Eragon was lost in the dark colors. They swayed back and forth, back and forth. He drifted until he was just thinking.
I wonder if I really am half-elven, he pondered. That would explain why my mother never told anyone. Still, I don't feel elven. It seems as if I should feel something different. Arya's mind was completely different. I don't know if a human's would be as well. His thoughts drifted to his mother, Selena.
It that why she had to leave? he wondered. Is that why I lived with Garrow? His eyes grew thick with tears. If that's what being half-elven is about, I don't want it.
Thinking about his family, Eragon thought about Roran. He had not tried to scry him for too long. Cursing himself, he thought how long it had been since he had seen him. Counting up the seasons, he gasped. Over a year had passed from when he fled Carvahall. That was the longest he had ever been apart from his cousin.
How can you forget about Roran? he asked himself. He's practically your brother. Eragon looked up, looking for something to project the image onto. Instead he saw the sun, now high in the sky.
Arya slowed. She shook Kela and Kela quickly opened her eyes, looking for an attack. Instead, Arya simply held up jerky that she had grabbed from their supplies. Arya handed a piece to Eragon as well. He ate it silently.
When the jerky was gone, Kela once more closed her eyes and took hold of Arya's shoulder.
"We have to go faster, Arya. They are nearing." Kela's voice was from eternities away. Arya nodded and sped up to a fast walk.
Eragon followed, feeling uneasy. He wondered how far away the men were, and if it was just men. He still wished he was fighting them. Running away seemed like a coward's answer. Still, he trusted Arya's, and Kela's, judgment.
They kept up the fast walk for many hours. Kela did not seem out of breath one bit. Eragon was amazed. She had healed so quickly. Eragon could remember how much the wound from Durza had taken from him. He involuntarily shuddered and reached to feel his back, the scar meeting his fingers.
He could feel Durza, his thoughts, his memories. Quickly, he tried to push it away, remembering the hand that had saved him, Osthato Chetowä and Togira Ikonoka. He was safe, he would be safe.
Suddenly, Kela went rigid. "They are close. We must go."
Arya increased her pace to a half walk half jog. Kela still followed; her hand on Arya. Eragon matched his pace and wondered how far away Nädendel and The Border Woods were.
"Arya, they are closer. We must go."
Arya changed to a full jog. Kela and Eragon followed, Eragon's boots thudding while Kela's light moccasins made nearly no sound. How Kela could jog with her eyes closed was beyond Eragon. She was much more graceful then him. She should have half-elven blood, not him.
The jog continued, until Kela once more called out. "They are close, Arya, they are close!"
Arya changed to a run. Eragon followed. Kela had let go of Arya's shoulder and was following by sound. She stumbled, but she never fell.
The three sets of long legs dashed through the forest. Eragon was glad that Kela and Arya were so tall. They all kept a steady pace, following in the other's footsteps. Eragon could feel his heart beating in his chest. He could feel the tension in the air, Kela desperately trying to hold her bearings on the men while the men continued to come.
"There are more then just men." Kela announced. "There are Urgals as well- at least twenty. This is all they were traveling with. If we take them all, Galbatorix will never know." Her voice quivered.
They continued to run and Kela opened her eyes. "We know where they are," she explained. "Too close."
"It's not too far now," Arya assured them. They continued running.
Eragon's stomach tightened. A cramp had begun to form. Breathing deeply, he willed it to go away.
"How far is not too far?" he asked.
"About a league."
He steadied Zar'roc with his hand as he ran, his blood pounding harder. Run, he thought. Just run. You can do it, just run.
Suddenly, Arya sped up. Eragon could tell why. The grunts of Urgals were far away, but getting closer.
Going in a flat-out sprint, they ran for their lives. The Urgals ran as well, with the two men in the lead. He could hear them hack their way through the forest, breaking the bare branches. He could hear the men give orders, although he could not quite make them out.
"'Faster,' they're saying. 'Faster.'" Kela's voice floated through the night.
They broke into a reckless pace, not caring if branches caught their arms or legs. Kela sported a long red scratch across her cheek line from where a branch had caught her. It started to bleed. Eragon's sleeve was torn, as was Kela's dress. Arya only bore a scratched hand.
The men were coming. They could hear the harshness in their voices. The Urgals pounded down their small trail. The footfalls were heavy, unlike Arya's and Kela's.
Sweat stung Eragon's eyes and his breath caught in his throat. Looking ahead, he saw Kela is the same situation. Arya looked better, but her breathing was labored as well.
"We are in The Border Woods. Kela, just keep on running no matter what," Arya warned. She nodded breathlessly.
Eragon began to feel a slight headache. Whether this was from the Woods or from the over-excursion of his body, Eragon did not know. He looked over at Kela. She was overly pale under her dark hair. She looked like she was about to vomit up the jerky they had eaten, but she ran on.
Eragon watched Kela closely and slowed down when she did. "No Eragon," the girl said angrily. "Keep running. They can still reach us." Eragon hesitated. "Now, Eragon."
Eragon ran, looking back to see Kela heave. She kept running. Eragon lost her through the trees. His headache was worse, as was his cramp. This is nothing to the pain Kela is feeling, he told himself. Keep going!
He ran on, glancing over his shoulder, but never seeing Kela.
At first he thought he was seeing things, but soon Eragon realized that there was indeed a clearing ahead, and a fairly large one at that. Arya was there, warning the elven guards that stood on duty. They nodded and headed out, bows strung.
Arya called after them in the Ancient Language. Through his clouded mind, Eragon could just make out the meaning to be that they were not to hurt the girl.
He collapsed. The distance traveled was too great. His body was used up. His last sight was an elven maiden bending over him and checking his pulse.
A/N: Well, how do you like Eragon's heritage? I personally think that Christopher Paolini will actually make Eragon half-elven. I don't know. That's just my guess. This was a really long chapter- seven pages in Word. It makes up for the short chapter 10. Please review, so I can make this story better!